Apparatus for washing coal and concentrating ores



Aug. 11,1926, 1,596,392

F. BLATCH APPARATUS FOR WASHING COAL AND CONCENTRATING ORES Filqd June 22, 1922 {Sheets-Sheet 1 I N VEN TOR.

4 ATTORNEY.

F. H. BLATCH APPARATUS FOR WASHING COAL AND CONGENTRATING 'ORES Filed June 22, 1922 3 Sheets-Shoot 2 A TTORNE Y.

Aug. 17 1926.

F. H. BLAECH APPARATUS FOR WASHING COAL AND CONCENTRATING 01235 I N V EN TOR. A'W

5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 22, 1922 A TTOIUVE Y.

Patented Aug. 17,1926.

1 1.596.392] NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IRANCIS H. BLAI'CH, OF HAZLETON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WILHOT ENGI- nnnamo comramr, or srnvama. I

HAZLETON, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN- arrm'rus ron wasnme con. Ann concnurnarmo cans Application med lung: 22, 1922. Serial Nb.,57,112.

My invention relates to apparatus for washing and classifying coal, ore, and the like in which the washing medium comprises water with which is mixed a desired quantity of a suitable granulated,, insoluble material, such as sand, for the purpose of increasing the specific gravity of the said medium in order that the washing and classifying or grading of the material may be more efficiently accomplished.

The general object of the invention is to provide a novel construction of apparatus which comprises means wherehythe material being treated may be more-efiiciently handled andlclassified than heretofore has been practice A further object of the invention is to pro- .Vidfl means wherebyin the washing of coal 'the purer grades or grades of better quality-may be automatically separated from the portion of the mixture generally known as bonyfcoal.

A further object of the invention is to 'provide a structure having means to prevent the sand or other granular or comminuted material from. entering and clogging the water inlet and the slate outlet ports during the period when the apparatus is quiescent or is not being operated.

The invention comprises other objects and advantages which will not now be referred to, but will be pointed out in the detailed description which follows or will be appar- 'ent from such description.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood and its practical advantages fully appreciated reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which I have indicated certain mechanical forms of embodiment thereof. However, it will be understood that the invention is susceptible of embodiment in other forms of construction than those shown and that-changes may be made therein within the scope of the claims without departing from the said invention.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a horizontal sectional top plan view of an apparatus embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fi 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertica sectional view taken in a plane substantially at right angles to the plane in which Fig. 2 is taken; and

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of theapparatus indicating a modification of the structure.

Referring to the drawings: 1 designates as a' whole the supporting frame of the structure and 2 the tank for holding the washing medium which comprises water having therein sand or other insoluble granular or finely comminuted material, the presence of which increases the specific gravity of the medium.

The upper portion ofthe tank 2 is substantially cylindrical in cross section while the remaining lower portion thereof is of inverted truncated cone-shape. For :the purpose of agitating the mixture of water and insoluble granular material which may be present'in the tank I have provided a shaft 3 supported in bearings, as shown in Fig. 2. which shaft extends downwardly into and'concentrically of the tank 2 and is adapted to be rotated by means of gears 4 and 5-, the former being driven by power applied in any suitable manner. The said shaft is provided with a plurality of agitating blades 8 situated in the lower truncated -cone-shaped part of the tank as shown.

These blades are shaped so as to aid in cansing an upward flow of the water within the tank 2. A portion of the water is supplied to the tank through a water supply pipe 10 controlled by a valve situated at 11. The mixture of coal and slate is delivered to the tank through a chute 15 which is arranged to discharge the coal into the tank in the same general direction as that in which the water is being rotated therein by means of the blades 8 upon the shaft 3. Preferably the mixture is delivered to the tank at apoint removed from the point of discharge of the coal and also preferably beyond the point at which the so-called bony coal is discharged. The mixture of coal, bony material, slate, etc., having been delivered to the tank is separated by the action of the upwardly moving and rotating body of washing and classifying medium within the said tank. The purer or better grade of coal within the mixture being of 'less specific gravity than the remaining portions thereof is caused to assume a position in the top portion of the said medium and is, discharged through the uppermost discharge 0 ening at and is conveyed through a c ute 21 to the endless conveyer 22 by means of which it is discharged from the apparatus. In passing through the chute 21 the coal is. required to travel over a screen 23 on to which water .is being discharged from aplurality of pipes 24 so that any sand or other granular or finely comminuted material which may have adhered to the coal is washed therefrom which, together with the water mixed therewith, is delivered through a pipe 24 to a rotary pump 25 by means of which the mixture is driven forward through a pipe 26 and is discharged into a chute 27 from which it is returned to the tank 2. The

, screen 23 is adapted to be vibrated by a crank Wheel 23*- and connecting rod 23*, the

former being driven in any suitable manner.

The mixture of sand or other similar insoluble material with the water should be of a proportion to produce a washing medium of a specific gravity such that the bony material may be handled efiiciently but will not be caused to collect in the top portion or strata of the said medium, but Wlll collect in a lower region where it is adapted to be discharged through an opening 30 situated in a plane below the opening 20. The bony material having been discharged through the opening 30 is delivered to a conveyor 31 and is conveyed or carried thereby from the apparatus. For the purpose of permitting water and sand to be discharged from the casing within which the conveyer 31 is situated I have provided the bottom thereof with openings, as indicated at 32, through which such water and sand may be discharged into the chamber 33 from which it is conveyed by a" pipe 34 into the pipe 24 which is connected with the pump 25 so that the mixture of.

sand and water which is separated from the bony material is mixed with that which is separated from the coal and the combined quantities thus collected are delivered through the pipe 26 to the chute 27. For the purpose of controlling the discharge of thewashing medium through the opening 30 and for controlling to a greater or less extent the level of the said medium within the tank 2 I have provided a plate valve which is adjustable with relation to the group of openings 32 in the bottom ofthe casing wthin which the conveyor 31 is situated. The valve 40 is adapted t9 be adjusted by means of any suitable mechanism, a portion of which is indicated at 41. By moving the said valve upwardly it will be. seen that the lower holes of the group are closed and that the washing medium is adapted to be discharged only from the upper ones of the said openings 32.

The slate, as will be understood, being of relatively great specific gravity descends through the tank to the bottom .thereof from which it is discharged through. an opening or openings provided therefor.

In the construction, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, a couple of openings are provided which openings lead to the lower ends of conveyers 46 which are situated within casings 47 as shown. These conveyers carry the slate upwardly and discharge the same from the apparatus in known manner.

If, after the apparatus has been in use, the operation thereof should be discontinued it will be understood that the sand or other granular or finely comminuted material, which is of greater specific gravity than the water, would descend through the water to the bottom of the tank, and, unless means were provided to prevent it, would settle into the lower ends of the casings 47 and also into the upright delivery portion 50 of the water supply conduit or tube to which the supply pipe 10 is connected. The filling in of such sand or other material would interfere with the starting of the apparatus at' situated adjacent the bottom of the tank 2.-

The valve 53 is likewise of cone-shape so as to closely fit against the underside of the of the plate 56 to close the openings through i the latter. v

The valves 52 are adapted to be actuated by means of levers60 and rods 61. These levers are pivoted intermediate their ends to brackets 62 upon the frame 1 of the apparatus as shown in Fig. 2. It will be apparent that by oscillating these levers the rods 61 are reciprocated to position the valves 52 in opener closed position. Each of the handles 60 is adapted to be held in adjusted position by means of a pin 62 inserted through an opening therein and into one of a number of openings in one of the posts 62". Likewise the valve 53 is adapted to be opened and closed by means of a lever 63 pivoted intermediate its ends at 64 to the lower end of a bracket 65 which depends from a portion of the frame structure 1. The inner end of the said lever 63 is connected with a rod 66 which extends vertically upwardly through the portion 50 of the water supply conduit. By oscillating the lever 63 the valve 53 may be opened and closcdand the said lever is adapted to be held in adjusted position with the valve 53 in open or closed position by means of a pin 67 which extends through an to the slate discharge conveyer 82.

opening in the said handle and through any one of a number of openings in the arm 68 which extends laterally from the post 65.

It will be seen that upon the cessation of the operation of the device if the valves 52 and 53 are closed the sand or other equivalent material present within the tank will settle down into the bottom of the tank above the plate 56. Upon starting the apparatus the val= e at 11, if not already opened, should be opened after which the valve 53 should be opened whereupon the water flows upwardly through the opening 55 and carries the sand above the plate 56 upwardly into the top of the water within the tank Where it may be agitated as previously described. The operation then proceeds as heretofore described.

The slate conveyer 46 at the left hand side of the apparatus, having reference to Figs. 1 and 2, is driven or operated'by a shaft from which through a belt 71 a. shaft 72 is driven which drives the conveyer 31 and also the conveyer 46 at the right hand side of the said apparatus.

In the construction. as shown in Fig. 4, the tank 2 is provided adjacent its bottonor lower end with an inclined plate 80 through which the upper end of the portion 50 of the Water supply conduit extends. The upper end of said conduit is closed by means of a cone-shaped perforated plate 56 as in the previous construction. The slate settles to the bottom of the tank as in the operation described in connection with the previous structure and slides downwardly in a single direction upon the plate 80 and is discharged through an outlet or opening 131 0 means is shown for closing the openin 55 in the plate 56 in this construction or of closing the openings 81 when the apparatus is not in operation, but such means may be provided if desired.

In the construction of apparatus embody-- ing my invention I arrange the parts so that the mixture to be washed and classified is delivered to the tank containing the washing medium at a point distant from that at which the coal or ore is to be discharged and such delivery is made tangentially with respect to the tank. The delivery is also made so that movement thereof as it is discharged into the medium is in the same general direction as that of the rotarily .moving medium whereby, by reason of its momentum, the said mixture tends to move with the said medium. By thus delivering the mixture to the washing medium the advantage of a minimum of interference with the rotary movement thereof is obtained thereby increasing the efliciency of the apparatus. The position of delivery of the mixture to the washing medium is so related' to the discharge openings for the coal or ore and the bony or other material of inferior quality that the said mixture must travel almost entirely around the tank before it reaches the said openings and before it can be discharged through either of said openings.

It will be seen that I have provided an apparatus which is simple in construction, which is adapted for washing and classifying coal, ore, and the like and separating the different ingredients of a coal or ore mixture in accordance with the classification. For instance, the coal .or ore, as the casemay he, is discharged in one direction and the less pure product, such as bony coal. is discharged in another direction, the several portions bein thereby efiiciently and completely separated from each other.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Pat.- ent is 1. In apparatus for washing coal, ore, or the like, the combination of a tank adapted to contain a washing medium consisting of water and a granular material of greater specific gravity than the water, the said tank having openings adjacent its bottom through which relatively heavy material, which it is desired to eliminate from the material being washed, is adapted to be discharged and also having any opening in its bottom through which Water is adapted to be supplied, means for controllin the said first named openings which means is adapted to be .closed when the apparatus is not in operation, .and means for controlling the second named. discharge opening which" means is adapted to be closed when the'ap' paratus is not in operation, substantially as described.

2. In a coal washing apparatus, the combination of-a tank adapted to containthe washing medium, the said tank having openings through which different classifications of coal are adapted to' be separately discharged, and also having an opening through which the relatively heavy material which it is desired to eliminate is adapted to be discharged, means within said tank for effecting rotative and upward flow of the washing medium therein, and means for closing the last mentioned opening whenthe said apparatus is not in operation.

3. In a coal washing apparatus, the com' bination of a tank adapted to contain the washing medium, the said tank having openings through which different classifications of coal are adapted to be separately discharged. also having an opening through which the relatively heavy material which it is desired to eliminate is adapted to be discharged, and also an opening through which water is adapted to be supplied to the said tank, means within said tank for efiecting rotative and upward flow of the washing medium therein, means for closing the last mentioned opening when the said apparatus is not in operation, and

means for closing the water supply opening when the apparatus is not in operat1on.

4. In a coal washing apparatus, the comother outlet, means for agitating the washing medium within the tank and for'effectin van upward and rotative flow thereof, said rotative flow causing a. cprresponding movement of the coal being washed, a conveyer :for conveying away the portion of the .1

said coal'of greater specific gravity, a casing for said conveyer, the bottom of which is inclined upwardly and is provided with a plurality of perforations, and movable certain of means for opening and closin perforations, substantially as dethe said scribed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have hereunto signed my name this 13th day of June, 1922.

FRANCIS H. *BLATGH. 

